


The First of Many

by treya_barton



Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 15:19:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18802981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: I wrote this story as a birthday gift to Romeo - Happy Birthday!  I decided that First Anniversaries or wedding anniversaries in general was a lesser explored topic in fanfiction and thought it would be an interesting topic to write about for Yu and Yosuke.  Hopefully you enjoy ^^





	The First of Many

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RomeoandAntoinette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RomeoandAntoinette/gifts).



Yosuke and Yu got married in November in a simple ceremony in Inaba with their closest friends and families there to celebrate the next step in their partnership.  Yosuke had recommended the date to Yu, knowing that for him it was usually a month associated with some pretty dark memories that he wanted to transform into something joyful instead.  To his relief, Yu agreed, and after seeing Yu’s normal melancholy during that time of year transform into something bright and engaged as they made finishing touches to their wedding plans, Yosuke had to admit it was one of the better ideas he’d ever had.  Then again, when it came to Yu he was typically pretty spot on. 

It was now October a year later, and so far Yu and Yosuke’s marriage had been just as close and amicable as their friendship and later relationship had been.  Their bond was as sure as ever, and Yosuke was bound and determined to use their first anniversary as a way to show his appreciation to his husband and continue to convert November into something for Yu to look forward to instead of dread as he used to.  Which is why he was bringing it up as they folded laundry while watching their favorite detective show, their usual Wednesday night activity.  “Partner,” Yosuke said casually, still using the same familiar term for Yu even after they expressed their wedding vows.  Yu was still his partner, in more ways than one now, and he preferred it to using a pet name.

“Hm?” Yu asked as he pristinely folded some of Yosuke’s shirts.  Yosuke had to admit, Yu did a great job at it and was in some ways neater than Yosuke with all of his retail experience.  Yosuke was still much faster at folding than Yu and didn’t require the level of concentration Yu did after working at Junes all that time, though, and honestly his folding also looked pretty damn good.

“What did you want to do for our anniversary?” Yosuke asked, rolling up one of their towels.

Yu paused, moving his fingers away from where he had been making neat creases in a pair of pants, and studied Yosuke.  “Don’t most couples just go out for a nice meal?” he asked.

“We’re not most couples though,” Yosuke replied.  “I want our anniversary to be special.  We can start off a tradition with it, you know?”

Yu leaned back from where he had been kneeling on the floor and diligently working, instead crossing his legs and resting his hands on his lap as he settled into what Yosuke called his observation mode.  Yu could pick up that Yosuke had a reason for this conversation and was trying to suss it out.  “What were you thinking?” he asked, and Yosuke let out a sigh before setting down the dish towel he had been about to fold.

“Well…honestly, I wanted it to be something special.  Like related to us,” he said, motioning his hands between the two of them.  “Like, going to where we first met or had our first date.”

“I’m not sure if that trash can still exists Yosuke,” Yu replied with an amused look in his eyes, and Yosuke frowned for a moment before smacking Yu on the arm.

“I meant Inaba, you ass,” he replied.  “I know how much it means to you, to us really.  Our friends and family are still there, and I know how much you look forward to visiting.”

“I think it’s very thoughtful,” Yu said carefully, “but our anniversary is on a weekday and we’re saving vacation so we can go to Inaba for Christmas this year.  It would be hard to make that a tradition.”

“You’re right,” Yosuke said with a frown.  “Well, we could always redo our first date.  Or come up with a really cool date idea!”  Yosuke looked excited at the idea of planning something, and Yu honestly didn’t want to dampen his mood.  Yu loved his husband’s enthusiasm and some of the wild ideas he could come up with, but if he was being honest he was also afraid of Yosuke disappointing himself and not enjoying their anniversary if he couldn’t come up with something to meet his own expectations.  Yosuke always wanted the best for him, and honestly Yu was happy enough just spending time together.

He reached out and put his hand on Yosuke’s knee before giving it a gentle squeeze.  “Or we can cook dinner at home, listen to a playlist selected by the best DJ in Tokyo, and spend a relaxing evening in with each other,” he suggested, eyes staring directly into Yosuke’s so he could see how sincerely happy the idea made him.  Yosuke looked a little deflated, but gave Yu a sad smile.

“If it’s what you want,” he said.  “And will make you happy.”

His response bothered Yu a little.  “Us, happy, Yosuke.  We should both enjoy our anniversary,” he reminded him.

“If you’re happy, I’m happy,” Yosuke said, getting a little burst of energy back as he went back to folding clothes.  “We’ll cook all of our favorites, and I’ll pick out the best music selection ever,” he added confidently, causing Yu to grin at him.  He couldn’t help but notice the slight strain in Yosuke’s shoulders though, and knew that while he was accepting of Yu’s wishes, a part of him still wanted something more special.  Yu felt bad, because he knew that Yosuke’s motivation was because he wanted to do something nice for him – Yosuke had a tendency to try to spoil Yu constantly and was very affectionate – and he hated it when Yosuke was disappointed.  His idea about the two of them starting a tradition and revisiting places important to them was honestly a good one, and Yu began to ponder over the possibilities as he also returned to the housework, their detective drama all but forgotten.

Almost a month later it was finally the day of their anniversary, and just as planned after they both got home from work they changed into white button up shirts, their favorite blue jeans, and boots for a casual, yet elegant look.  The shirts were fitted and both them and their jeans fit their figures perfectly, showing off Yosuke’s legs and changing Yu’s usually more preppy look into something more striking.  They both looked incredibly handsome and kept stealing glances at each other on their way to pick up groceries for dinner.  Yu found himself distracted as Yosuke confidently made his way around the grocery store, still able to expertly pick out the best produce after his time stocking produce at Junes.  He noticed the stares they both received from some of the other customers, and he couldn’t help but feel proud that he had somehow managed to land his best friend after pining after him all that time.  He had always known how special Yosuke was, and it was nice that other people seemed to recognize the same thing now.  Yosuke, however, seemed oblivious as always, and Yu couldn’t help but fondly shake his head. 

Yosuke seemed in good spirits and appeared ready for them to enjoy their first anniversary together, and Yu couldn’t help but feel some slight trepidation about the plan he had in store.  He was sure Yosuke would appreciate it, but he was still nervous about possibly derailing their plans that night.  However, just as Yosuke always wanted to do something special for Yu, Yu also wanted to surprise his husband and knew deep down things would work out.  For now, he accepted the arm Yosuke slung around his shoulders as per usual as they both carried their groceries back to their apartment which was nearby.  Once they got inside, Yu prepared the kitchen while Yosuke set up the playlist, soon blasting a series of songs that were very meaningful to the two of them.  Some were songs Yosuke had introduced Yu to when they were first becoming friends, while others were songs they had heard on a first date, sharing their first kiss, and even the song they had their first dance to at their wedding reception.  Yu couldn’t help but feel touched by the level of thoughtfulness Yosuke had put into the playlist, especially when songs popped up that Yu honestly had not been expecting but would instantly realize why Yosuke had selected it.

Yosuke looked pretty pleased at himself over Yu’s reaction to the music as he helped him in the kitchen, both of them in synch as they worked on dinner after years of helping out in the kitchen.  Yu still covered the more difficult steps, but Yosuke was very steady after years of practice and could hold his own in most tasks.  He still preferred eating Yu’s food, but Yu honestly preferred days like this where they both worked together.  They were switching things up from their usual fare which usually consisted of typical Japanese meals, so it could mirror the fancy restaurant idea Yosuke had.  They were making mussels mariniere, something that would both look catchy while tasting delicious, along with a salad and crème brulee for dessert.  By the time they sat down to eat, dimming the lights and lighting some candles for the ambiance, Yosuke couldn’t help but feel a bit proud by how well the meal had turned out.  He hadn’t doubted Yu’s skill, but he was pleased he hadn’t managed to somehow mess it up.

While they enjoyed the amazing food and each other’s company, along with the music and candles setting the mood, Yosuke noticed that Yu seemed nervous about something as he poured them each a glass of wine, his usual steady hand trembling slightly and causing a little of the wine to spill.  “I’ve got it partner,” Yosuke said, immediately standing up to get a towel when Yu quickly set the bottle down in surprise, looking apologetic at spilling the wine on the table.  He was suddenly glad they didn’t have a tablecloth since it would have been ruined.

“I’m sorry,” Yu apologized as Yosuke mopped it up.  The brunet shook his head before rinsing out the cloth and sitting back down.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he smiled reassuringly.  “But, I can’t help but wonder what’s got you so wound up today,” he added straightforwardly, causing Yu to chuckle.  Yosuke was adept at reading him these days, so he shouldn’t have been surprised he caught on to his nervousness.

“Here.  I got you something for our anniversary,” Yu replied, before handing Yosuke an envelope labeled “For my partner.”  Yu didn’t use the term quite as often as Yosuke did, but it was still the only term of endearment he would use with Yosuke.  He usually preferred to say his name, and Yosuke couldn’t help but appreciate hearing how his name sounded coming from his husband anyway.  Even if it did excite him the rare times Yu would user partner instead.

“But, I didn’t get anything,” Yosuke said hesitantly, while eyeing the envelope curiously.

“You made us our anniversary playlist, remember?  I know how long it must have taken you, figuring out and carefully selecting all of those songs,” Yu replied.  “Besides, this gift is really for both of us.”  He looked excited to see Yosuke open it, and their delicious, half eaten pasta was momentarily forgotten as Yosuke opened the flap to the envelope and pulled out two very familiar looking train tickets.  His eyes widened and he immediately checked the dates on them before staring at Yu in surprise.

“I thought…” he started to say, and Yu merely grinned.

“You were right about our anniversary,” he explained.  “While I have loved this evening and appreciate that you catered to my wishes wanting to make it a night I would appreciate, your idea about it being a tradition we do year after year stuck with me.  And you’re right – we both love going back to Inaba, back to where our relationship began, and being around friends and family.  So, I thought, why not do both?” Yu asked.  “We can’t take off in the middle of the week, but we can certainly have a nice meal at home and then spend the following weekend in Inaba.  It’ll be a short visit, but spending a night at the Amagi Inn and getting to enjoy dinner with our families will be worth it.”

Yosuke was staring at Yu quietly, completely at a loss for words with the tickets held loosely between his fingers.  Yu reached out to pull them away, setting them down before taking Yosuke’s hand in his.  “Say something,” he said softly, and Yosuke pulled his hand to his lips in order to place a reassuring kiss against his fingers.

“I don’t know what to say,” he admitted.  “I’m just blown away.”  He gazed at Yu adoringly, who stared back with a soft smile.

“You also deserve to have a first anniversary you can cherish,” he said, and Yosuke shook his head.

“This was already amazing,” he replied.  “I thought we had to do something grand in order for it to be special, but honestly, just the two of us together is special enough.”

“Well, I think this will be even more special,” Yu replied, and Yosuke nodded enthusiastically. 

“A night at the Amagi Inn?  Getting to relax in the onsen and seeing you in a yukata?  It sounds amazing,” he admitted.  “And getting to see our families will be a treat.  Don’t tell me they already know about this and have been keeping it a secret from me.”

Yu’s slightly devious grin was enough of an answer for Yosuke who let out a groan.  “I even talked to my mom this morning!” he said.  “How could she not tell me?”

“I asked them not to say anything.  Your parents also wanted it to be a surprise,” Yu explained.

Yosuke shook his head.  “I can’t help but think your surprise is way better than a playlist,” he sighed, and Yu shook his head.

“This surprise was your idea originally.  I’m sorry I had just shot it down instead of coming up with a way for it to work earlier,” he replied.  “And, partner,” he added, using the word to capture Yosuke’s attention.  “Your playlist means a lot to me.  You said you wanted our anniversary to explore our relationship, and I can attest that your playlist made it happen.”

Yosuke blushed at his compliment, before twirling his fork into his now cold pasta.  “I’m glad,” he replied.  “And…I think you’re right.  Both this dinner and the trip to Inaba sound like perfect anniversary traditions for us to continue every year.”

They both exchanged smiles before clinking their glasses together and returning to their food, still delicious even though it was no longer hot.  After a nice relaxing evening together, they headed to bed since they had work the next day and would need to pack once they got home for their train to Inaba.  The train ride was long as always, but much more manageable with both of them together than the times they had ridden separately in the past.  They looked out the window and chatted for the entire trip, appreciating the time they had together and looking forward to a relaxing afternoon at the Inn and a lovely dinner with their families.  Once they finally arrived at Inaba, they found a car waiting for them that was provided by the Inn, and gratefully got inside so they could be whisked there straightaway.  Yukiko greeted them the moment they arrived, stepping down in her elegant looking kimono to give them both a hug before personally showing them to their room for the night.

“This room has a personal bath for private use,” she explained as they both got settled in.  “Everyone’s in town except Naoto-kun and Rise-chan, so you should definitely have breakfast with us tomorrow before you leave.”  She was pulling out yukata for them to wear as she spoke, and they were both impressed by how gracefully she moved.  Yukiko always had an elegant air about her, but now that she was older and more skilled and confident, it seemed to have only intensified.

“That sounds great,” Yu replied warmly.  “Thank you for allowing us to stay here just one night.  I know typically you only book rooms at least two or three nights.”

“Of course,” Yukiko replied.  “Anything for you two.”  Her eyes sparkled at them as she poured some tea and set out wagashi shaped like fall leaves for a snack.  “If you need anything let us know.”

She then stepped out to give them privacy, quietly shutting the door behind her, and they both quickly changed into their yukata before sprawling out on the tatami mat, tired after their early morning train ride.  They still had a few hours to kill before dinner and that bath sounded very tempting.  “Think we should go for a soak?” Yosuke asked, and Yu tilted his head so he could angle it enough to see his husband.

“We should probably enjoy the tea first before it gets cold,” he replied.  “And maybe see if the kitchen staff can make us something small for lunch.  I’m not sure if I can make it until dinner.”

“You’ve got a point,” Yosuke agreed, and after they ate their delicate snacks and enjoyed the delicious tea, Yu called for room service and they were soon supplied with some onigiri and miso soup to tide them over.  Once they finished eating, they slid out of their yukata before cleaning off in the bathroom and making their way to their private onsen, happily sliding into the hot water for a relaxing soak.  Yu was definitely happy he had decided to surprise Yosuke by going along with his idea, for while it had been a long trip, just being back in Inaba had somehow set his heart at ease.  And he knew that while Yosuke’s relationship with the town was much more conflicted, he also had a fond connection with Inaba as well as a place where he formed bonds with people and went through a fantastic experience that had shaped all of their lives.

He glanced over at Yosuke whose eyes had slid closed, and scooted over so he could run his fingers through his damp hair.  “Feels good,” Yosuke sleepily mumbled, and Yu shook his head.

“So you _are_ still awake,” he replied, and Yosuke cracked an eye open at him.

“Barely,” he admitted before letting it fall shut again.  He wasn’t used to getting up as early as Yu was and tended to stay up later, so the early morning had been rough.

“If you’re going to fall asleep we should probably get one of the futons set up for you,” Yu said before standing up.  Yosuke protested, sleepily reaching for Yu to stop him and awkwardly grabbed hold of his thigh, causing Yu to let out a sigh.

“Am I going to have to carry you?” he lightly admonished and Yosuke sighed before opening his eyes all the way.

“It’s so comfy in here,” he replied, and Yu shook his head.

“Yes but dangerous if you’re sleepy.  I don’t want you to overheat and get sick,” he said, offering his hand.  Yosuke took it grudgingly and allowed Yu to pull him up, and they both toweled off before slipping back into their yukata.  Yu laid out a futon for them, pulling it out from the closet before patting it invitingly and motioning for Yosuke to join him.  He didn’t need to tell him twice and Yosuke was soon sprawled out on the futon next to him, immediately passing out as he curled up close to him like he did every night at home.

Yu set his alarm, giving them plenty of time to get ready for dinner, before wrapping his arms around his husband and also allowing himself a small nap.  When the alarm went off an hour later, they both woke up fortunately feeling refreshed instead of groggy, since taking a nap was always a gamble and sometimes left them feeling worse.  They both changed for dinner, Yu putting on a white collared shirt that he halfheartedly adjusted the collar on so it rested appropriately down, a gray sweater vest and dark gray slacks, while Yosuke wore light gray jeans, his favorite band t-shirt, converse, and a red leather jacket that looked great on him and was honestly one of Yu’s favorite accessories.  “You should wear your glasses,” Yosuke said to Yu as they got ready, pulling them out from their suitcase.  Both of them still had the glasses Teddie had made for them, never knowing if a day may come where they needed them again.  “They match your aesthetic.”

Yu rolled his eyes but still accepted them and put them on, and Yosuke had to admit he did look pretty hot.  Yu always filled out glasses perfectly and Yosuke felt they suited him.  He tried to hide his blush, and Yu couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked getting flustered over his appearance after they had been together for so long.  Then again, Yu thought, eyeing Yosuke’s outfit, his husband looked incredibly attractive as well.  Yosuke had always been on the stylish side and his tastes had only improved as they had gotten older.  “So, where are we eating?” Yosuke asked, wondering if it would be at Aiya’s or if they would be heading to Okina for dinner.

“Here,” Yu replied simply.  “The Inn makes a delicious traditional dinner so I asked Yukiko if we could invite our families over to the main hall.  She was of course accommodating.”

“Yukiko is a saint,” Yosuke said with a sigh as he followed Yu down to the hall to the dining room.  They found Dojima and Nanako already sitting there and waiting for them.

“Oni-chans!” she said excitedly, jumping up to give them both a hug.  Yu and Yosuke hugged the young woman back fondly, and Yu gave his uncle a wave over her shoulder.  Dojima waved back, and he had a soft smile on his face as he watched his family greet each other.  Dojima’s hair was starting to gray and he had some wrinkles on his face from all the stress at work, but he was much more relaxed and likely to smile now which warmed both of their hearts.

Nanako had grown into a lovely young lady and was now in high school and about the same age Yu and Yosuke had been when they first met.  She had cut her hair shorter so it rested just above her shoulders and had a style very similar to what Yukiko did, fashionable yet elegant.  She was doing great in school and both Yu and Dojima were very proud of her.  She had never changed her kind, friendly disposition and was still very polite and helpful, constantly doing volunteer work in the community.  She still adored her cousin as well, along with his husband who she considered her brother-in-law, and worked part time at Junes; Yosuke’s father declared that after Yosuke himself, Nanako was the best employee he ever had, although Yosuke admitted to himself that his dad was just trying to be nice and that Nanako was probably better.  It honestly warmed his heart that she still seemed to enjoy the place even now that she had grown up.

“I suppose it’s typical that my family is a little late,” Yosuke said, checking his watch.  They had to usher Teddie with them after all.

“Who’s late?” his father asked behind him with an amused voice, and Yosuke winced before turning to see his parents.  Moments later he was nearly bowled over by the blue eyed blond who had come bounding in behind his parents after stopping to say hello to Yukiko.  Teddie looked pretty much the same as always, although he had changed his clothing and the way he styled himself to appear a little more mature to give the illusion he looked older.

“I missed you too, Ted,” Yosuke said, patting the blond on the shoulder fondly as he sniffled into his jacket.

“You’ve both been gone so long,” he complained, and Yu ruffled his hair fondly.

“We’ll be back for Christmas,” Yu assured him, and Teddie pulled away to give him a wide smile.  He then noticed Nanako.

“Nanako-chan!” he said excitedly, going to hug her as well.

“Hello Teddie-kun,” she greeted, returning the hug.  They both still got along after all of this time and when Teddie felt like it he would still come and work at Junes for Yosuke’s father, allowing them to work together.

Yosuke’s parents now took turns hugging their son and son-in-law, and Yosuke was suddenly struck by the fact his parents also seemed to be aging just as Dojima had.  He hadn’t been paying as close attention the past few trips home since they were always such a whirlwind, but he was struck by it now.  His mom dyed her hair so it was harder to tell, but she was now starting to get fine lines around her eyes and almost seemed smaller than usual, while his dad was also starting to gray and looked like his job was taking more of a toll on him.  Keeping Junes running successfully took a lot of work.  “Hey, dad, going to be retiring anytime soon?” Yosuke said only as half a joke, and his dad looked at him thoughtfully.

“I am considering it, actually,” he replied.  “I’ve worked at Junes a long time.  I was thinking about maybe starting my own business where I can support the locals more.  Maybe a small produce shop,” he said thoughtfully.  The shopping district was starting to thrive again as Inaba was growing more, since some people really enjoyed supporting local business.  The population was able to support both the local shops and Junes which meant that old bitterness had finally faded away.

Yosuke’s eyes widened at the news, and he turned to look at his mother who gave him a small smile and an encouraging nod.  “I think that’s a great idea, dad,” Yosuke said.

“Maybe when I can set my own hours, we can finally have time to come see you and Yu in the city,” his dad said with a grin.  “You’ll soon grow sick of us.”

“We always appreciate your company,” Yu replied warmly, before taking Yosuke’s mother’s arm to lead her to her seat.  They all took their places, Yu sitting between Nanako and Dojima while Yosuke settled between his mom and Teddie with his dad taking the head of the table.  The Hanamura’s and the Dojima’s had grown close over the years, getting to know each other through Yosuke and Yu’s tightly knit friendship and later relationship and outings as a family once they were engaged and married.  It felt nice for everyone to get together and catch up over an excellently prepared meal, and Yosuke couldn’t help but look across the table at how happy Yu looked, immediately feeling validated that he had been right about his anniversary idea.  It may technically be a few days later, but Yosuke was glad Yu had listened and surprised him with this in the end.  He smiled before being pulled into a conversation with Teddie who let him know what he had been up to between visits to Inaba and time spent in the Shadow World which continued to be quiet and peaceful after they saved the world their second year.

After a nice, relaxing dinner, Yu and Yosuke said their farewells to their families, a little sad to see them go but knowing they would have more time to see them for Christmas and New Year’s.  They then headed back to their room where another futon had been laid out next to the one they had used earlier, both of them pushed against each other and with the blankets turned down so it would be ready for them to sleep.  There was also some after dinner herbal tea ready for them, and they both changed back into their yukata and enjoyed it before talking about how nice it had been to see their family and what a mature young lady Nanako had grown up to be.  They skirted around the topic of Yosuke’s parent’s and Dojima’s age, although Yosuke could tell that Yu had noticed too.  Then, they settled in for the night, scooting to the inner edge of both futons so they could snuggle against each other as they fell asleep.

They next morning they woke up early due to going to bed so early and took a quick dip in the onsen after washing off before checking their messages to see what their friends’ plans were for breakfast that morning.  Apparently on Sundays Aiyas was open earlier with a brunch special, so after changing their clothes they headed out to meet up with their friends, meeting Yukiko in the lobby on the way there so they could head over together.  “When did Aiyas start doing brunch?” Yosuke asked curiously as they walked, and Yukiko placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully.

“I think right around the time we graduated college,” she replied.  “It’s becoming trendy so they adopted it.  It’s nothing special really – they have omurice and a Western style breakfast – but it is good.”

“I think I know what we’ll be getting,” Yosuke said with a grin, since omurice was a staple in the Narukami-Hanamura household. 

“I usually get Western style.  It’s a nice change of pace for me,” Yukiko replied. 

Once they got to Aiya’s, they saw Kanji and Teddie were already waiting inside, Teddie talking animatedly to the taller man who looked so different from how he had in their youth.  Kanji had adopted a mix of styles between his original and later more studious look, his hair still black, although his outfit was more casual with a leather jacket, t-shirt, and black jeans.  He was a teacher at the elementary school Nanako had gone to, and his students adored him and all the arts and crafts activities he did.  Teddie was dressed in an oversized sweater and capris and honestly looked a bit like an idol with his good looks.  He waved them over and they quickly sat down at the table, exchanging pleasantries while they waited for Chie to show up.  She did moments later, out of breath from obviously rushing over, in a green jacket very similar to the one she wore in high school, shorts, and an Inaba police t-shirt from one of their charity events they held every year.  Her hair was short as always and she looked just as tone as ever from the PT she did every day for work.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said.  “I’m on night shift right now so my sleep schedule’s out of whack.”

“At least you have a good excuse now,” Yosuke teased, and she rolled her eyes at him and let out a huff.

“I thought the point of growing up was to become more mature, Hanamura,” she retorted before taking her seat next to Yukiko.  Yukiko giggled at their interaction – it seemed some things never changed.  The friends all ordered their breakfasts before catching up, enjoying each other’s company and reminiscing about all the things they had been through.  It was sad Rise and Naoto weren’t able to be there, but both women were busy with very successful careers and they knew they’d get to see them for New Years which wasn’t that far away.

“So, how was your first anniversary?” Kanji asked curiously.  “I can’t believe you’ve been married for over a year already.”

“Yes, I can still recall when they were both in denial over their feelings,” Yukiko teased, while Chie sighed.

“It was the worst,” she replied.  “I’ve never been more frustrated by anything in my life than seeing those two dance around each other’s feelings.”

Yu and Yosuke blushed, and for once Yosuke didn’t have a comeback.  “It was really nice,” Yu replied.  “We cooked dinner together, Yosuke picked out some really thoughtful songs for the evening.  And then we came home to get back to the roots of our relationship, which was his idea by the way.”

“Yosuke, I always knew you were a romantic,” Teddie cooed, and Yosuke blushed even brighter.

“Shut it, bear,” he said.  “I mean, it may have been my idea, but partner surprised me with it,” he quickly added.

Their friends all exchanged glances and smiles, and Yosuke rolled his eyes.  “This first year of marriage has gone really well,” Yu added.  “I guess it helps when you marry your best friend.”

He smiled at Yosuke, who looked bashful at the compliment and sighed before burying his face in his hands.  When Yu went on a complimenting spree like that it was a little overwhelming for him.  “I am not surprised.  You two always were perfect for each other,” Yukiko agreed.  “I am sure I speak for all of us when I say how happy I am for you both.”

Their friends all nodded in agreement, and they all too soon wrapped up their breakfast, feeling a little disappointed as they exchanged farewells and promised to formulate plans for their next trip home.  Yosuke then took Yu’s hand, and instead of heading back to the Inn so they could prepare for their trip home, he began to drag him down a familiar path to the place in Inaba that probably had the most meaning for the two of them.  They stopped at the banks of the Samegawa river, which was pretty cold in the early November morning although fortunately there was no snow yet.  They looked over at the river bathed in the early morning light, and Yosuke said, “This is where I wanted to take you when I was talking about coming to Inaba.  Really, it’s where I first understood what my feelings for you actually were.”

Yu smiled at him before taking a deep breath of the crisp, autumn air.  “Teddie’s right, you are a romantic,” he teased, and Yosuke frowned before swatting at his husband who laughed.  “But I appreciate it,” he added.  “Thank you, Yosuke.  For coming up with this idea.  I really think this is the best way the both of us could spend our anniversary.  And I do look forward to doing this every year.”

Yosuke beamed at him, before reaching over to grab his shoulder so he could turn to face him.  “I should have done this all those years ago, but back then I was too much of a coward,” he said, cupping Yu’s face with his hands, Yu wondering how Yosuke always managed to have warm hands even when he refused to wear gloves.  Yosuke rubbed his thumbs along Yu’s jaw tenderly before using his fingers to gently tilt Yu’s head down while leaning in for a kiss, Yu always maintaining that slight height difference although it wasn’t enough to make kissing or hugging awkward or difficult.  Yu met him halfway, warmth spreading from his core as it always did when he and Yosuke kissed, and he wrapped his arms around his husband’s shoulders as he felt that familiar sense of peace wash over him as it always did in Yosuke’s company.  His husband was a comforting, steady presence in his life, something he never really had until he came to Inaba, and just the act of Yosuke stepping into the room often would set Yu at ease.  He knew that he had the same effect on his husband who always seemed less nervous and more confident when Yu was around, and he liked that they could be that same presence in each other’s lives.  Yosuke pulled away, smiling up at him as his warm breath caused small puffs of air due to how cold it was outside, and Yu buried his head in Yosuke’s shoulder, appreciating his warmth and scent.

“I love you,” Yu murmured against Yosuke’s collar, and Yosuke rested his arms around Yu’s waist in a comforting motion.

“I love you too,” he replied, and they stood like that for a few moments, just appreciating each other and what the riverbank meant to them.  After a few moments they finally pulled apart, holding hands as they made their way back to the Amagi Inn, reluctant to leave but taking comfort in the knowledge they would be returning soon.  It truly was the perfect start to their wedding anniversary tradition.


End file.
